1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to explosives and, in particular, this invention relates to explosives that are melt-pourable and may function as excellent replacements for Tritonal. In a currently preferred aspect, this invention relates to Tritonal replacement compositions that exhibit similar melting characteristics, comparable energetic performance, and either comparable or reduced shock and thermal sensitivities to Tritonal. This invention also relates to mortars, grenades, artillery, warheads, and antipersonnel mines containing the melt-pourable Tritonal replacement compositions.
2. State of the Art
The melt-pourable explosive composition Tritonal usually consists of 60-80 weight percent 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 20-40 weight percent aluminum (Al). Tritonal has been used in a wide array of military applications, although perhaps its most frequent use is as a general bomb fill. One of the reasons for the wide acceptance of Tritonal is that its binder component, TNT, has a relative low melting point of 81° C., which makes Tritonal suitable for pouring into shells or casings of munitions.
However, Tritonal has several drawbacks attributable to its TNT binder. One of the most prominent of these drawbacks is the toxicity of TNT. During synthesis of TNT, undesirable isomers are produced. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that meta isomers produced during the nitration of toluene react with the sodium sulfite to produce water-soluble, sulfated nitrotoluene that is red and highly toxic. Waste streams containing these isomers are known as red and pink water and are considerably toxic and hazardous to workers and the environment. Consequently, stringent domestic environmental regulations have been imposed to protect worker safety and prevent against adverse ecological impact caused by the waste streams. However, waste stream cleanup is laborious and expensive. These regulations and safety precautions have also increased manufacturing costs and slowed production rates, thereby making Tritonal and TNT production largely uneconomical and leading to cessation of domestic TNT production by most, if not all, domestic manufacturers.
The generation of undesirable isomers during TNT synthesis has the additional drawback of increasing the exudation of TNT from the ordnance. Many isomers generated during TNT synthesis have melting points lower than that of TNT. These isomers tend to exude under high storage temperature requirements, such as about 74° C. (165° F.). The exudation of TNT isomers from Tritonal raises concerns that the isomers might enter into areas of munitions that are not designed for exposure to energetic materials. In such an event, the sensitivity, vulnerability, and ability to handle and transport the munitions safely may be compromised.